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Where was I ?

I am back on these blog pages after almost year. My last serious post was Jan 2009. In between I did a sort of pictorial post after YSR’s death, but nothing substantial other than that. I know this is a very long break. However, this does not mean that I was absent from blogosphere.

Hindustan Times, which I don’t read in my home ( as we are a TOI family), had kept me hooked all this while ! More specifically, the blog page of Hindustan Times. I can admit to it without being accused of treachery by TOI, that the HT blog page is the best amongst Indian newspapers. Both in terms of content and in terms of styling, it is way ahead of any competition.

Their USP, I think, is that they have all their top editors writing on a topic they are experts in. So while Vir Sanghvi writes on general issues of the week, Vinod Sharma mainly writes on Pakistan related issues. Kushal Gulab has books to feed her readers on while Sujata Anandan writes on Mahrashtra specifc issues. Pankaj Vohra rants against BJP while Poonam Saxena reviews the film world.

Thus the reader is aware what to expect from each blogger. This keeps it simple and easy for someone who does not want to browse through all and sundry but only has time for issues of interest to him. For someone like me, who can read almost anything, it is even better, since I get to read on a wide array of topics all under one roof !

This does not mean that it has all been happy sailing. I have had serious arguments with many bloggers. Though none of it has ever degenerated to mudslinging, except maybe with Pankaj Vohra, who has ultimately blocked my comments from appearing on his blog page. I am OK with it, since his was one blog I had most arguments with.

Then there is Vinod Sharma – he responds to criticism with such flowery use of language that the reader has no other option but to smile. Although I disagree with most of his views, yet it is fun interacting with him.

One other aspect of being transfixed with HT blogs has been that I have now started taking interests in topics beyond politics. The most visible among this has been the time I spent on Kushal Gulab’s blogs. When I first started reading HT blogs, I always used to see this blog but skipped past it. I tried reading it once or twice but the topics it covered seemed to be beyond me. I mean I love books, read almost something all the time. But this female was kind of maniacal in her love for books. And has happens with such people, she used to write about many books, that I had never heard of, with such joy as if they were her childhood buddies. !! Come to think of it, she might actually agree with this.

However, then was once this blog post on her trip to Kerala. That was the first time I read any of her posts in full. And commented on it. Ever since, I have become a full time and committed follower of her blogs too.

Though, she must be finding me amongst her oddest followers – for the simple reason that while most other regulars to her blog are maniacs like her too and interact in “book language’ alien to me, I try and post comments tangential to her post. Not completely unconnected, but not relevant either, I suppose. Yet she responds to almost all my comments. And probably because of that I keep following her blog, and in the process read a few books recommended by her. Just shows what intelligent blogging can achieve.

And finally, I have been on Twitter and Facebook. Although Twitter still looks a medium unlikely to last, yet the frequency of my posts has been increasing ! Put it down to my interest in politics.

Facebook. It has comleteley swamped Orkut. Never seen any product so quickly and so completely negate the frst mover advantage that Orkut had. Just shows that internet is a medium unlike any other. Have an idea and it will sell. !!

Happy New Year to all of you. Happy New Decade. A decade I believe will change history in ways uniamgined now.